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There is something deeply unsettling about the recent case out of Kuala Lumpur - and it’s not just the image of a lorry crashing through the gates of a KTV outlet in Taman Shamelin.
It is the price tag that followed.
Thirty-four men storm an entertainment venue. They arrive armed. They ram through a gate. They damage property. A video goes viral, showing what looks less like a spontaneous scuffle and more like a coordinated act of intimidation. The charge? Rioting while armed under Section 148 of the Penal Code - a serious offence that carries up to five years in prison.
The outcome? A fine. RM2,000 to RM3,000.
That’s it.
Let’s call this what it feels like: a discount on violence.
Because what message does this send? That if you gather enough people, bring weapons, and cause chaos, but stop just short of seriously injuring someone - you can essentially pay your way out of consequences?
We often hear the phrase “deterrent sentencing.” But deterrence only works when punishment outweighs the benefit, or at the very least, matches the severity of the act. Here, the scale feels completely off. A group attack involving weapons and property destruction isn’t just mischief. It’s a public safety threat. It creates fear. It normalises mob behaviour. And crucially, it opens the door to escalation.
Because next time, someone will get hurt.
And when that happens, what do we say? That the warning signs were not there? That the system could not have acted more firmly earlier?
The defence argued that these were first-time offenders seeking a second chance. But justice isn’t just about the accused, it is about society. It’s about the message we send to everyone watching.
Right now, that message feels dangerously close to this: violence, if managed carefully, is negotiable.
And that should worry all of us.
Fa Abdul (fa.abdul.penang@gmail.com) is a content creator under the Newswav Creator programme, where you get to express yourself, be a citizen journalist, and at the same time monetize your content & reach millions of users on Newswav. Log in to creator.newswav.com and become a Newswav Creator now!
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